The Island Boy

Chapter 11- Regulations

        "She died of lung cancer right before me. I got out of class that day, an headed straight to the hospital, to visit my mother. But when I got there, my father was telling me to go home. It turned out she died. So, I ended up going around the village. I was tricked, and taken here by force."

        I got up, and hugged him. "I'm sorry for your lost." He traced his fingers on my backbone. "It's okay. I got over it."

        "Thank you... anyways. It seems that I've been dragging you around without asking whether you would like to come along." He said, keeping a still hand on my back. "I guess what I'm really asking is...would you like to stay here?" he asked politely.

        Thump. Thump. Thump. My heart raced, hearing his gentle voice. "It doesn't look like there is much of a choice." I chuckled. "Even if we weren't living together, I feel as if you'd stay by my side."

        He gently smiled, and kneeled down. He brought my head towards his, inching closer by the second. His lips collided into mine all at once. I slowly closed my eyes, with each second.

        He finally let go, causing me to open my eyes. "How do you feel about me?" I asked, before my own feelings decided to rush out. "There are no words to express how I feel about you." My heart raced against my chest. He reached out for my hand, and slipped it into his shirt. "Maybe I can't express it in words, but..." I can feel his heart beat harder than mine. It was almost as if his heart was pounding against the walls of his jail cell, asking to get out.

        "So... if you understand..." His eyes looked worried, and hurt from my silence. I pulled my hand out of his shirt, and placed it on his cheek. "I understand." I muttered, seeing his blue eyes widen from my words. I stood on the ball of my foot, to give him a soft peck on the cheek. "Take it slow...or the horse will misunderstand and run away. I learned that as a child."

        I then left my feet to fall flat on the wood floor, walking away with a smile. I headed towards the door, slipping my shoes on. "Where are you going?" He asked, catching up. "I'm going to start a garden." I slipped a pouch of seeds into my hands, and opened the door.

        "Well, I can't let you go that alone." He muttered. He walked out behind me, closing the door behind him. "And why not?" I said firmly. "Well you're a woman... and I'm a man. I should at least help you." I turned around. "Don't go around putting gender into this." I poked his chest with my index finger. "I know you just don't want to leave me alone right now."

        "Is that a bad thing?" He asked. "No...I like having you around, you make me feel like I'm back home."

        He smirked. "I hope home was a good place." I smiled. "Enough jokes, we need to start the garden."

        I looked at the patch next to the bathroom walls. "How come there's already a patch ready for planting?"

        "I did that a while back, before you came here. I was already gathering seeds." Jake looked at the small bag in my hand, and then glanced at the dirt. "You should at least change so your dress won't get dirty. There's some clothes in the red bag."

        I sighed, and walked on back. I closed the door behind me, and walked over to the red bag slouching over the crate, and headed over to the bedroom. I shut the door close, and made sure none of the windows were open. Opening the red bag, I sat on the bed, going through it.

        I pulled out the pair of khaki shorts, and a white shirt, and slipped them on. Good... I got that covered. I then ran out, so I could go ahead and help with the garden. "Back already? I started digging out some of the dirt so you can go ahead and start planting the seeds."

        I looked at the small rows, and bent down. Opening the bag, I grabbed a seed, and patted the dirt over it.

        The process went just like that, and soon enough, row by row, each seed was planted. Jake brushed the dirt off his pants. "We finished." I nodded, and put another sign in. Strawberries.

        He smiled, and lent out a hand. I grabbed it, and got up. "Thanks. I needed that."

        We headed back towards the camp, taking off our shoes before we head in. "Ugh..." I heard Jake groan. "Go take a bath first. After all, you did the dirty work. You deserve it."

        He chuckled. "Thanks." He leaned over and kissed the top of my head. He then walked towards the bathroom. The door closed right after him, and he headed back home.

        I turned to see the small clock in the kitchen, and flopped on the sofa. There's someone obviously keeping us hostage, making sure we don't do anything stupid in this Island. So there absolutely has to be one way, of getting out of here. I looked at the small table besides the Sofa, and grabbed the piece of paper laying on it.

        Sorry for snooping Jake. I unfolded it, and read what the words had said.

Welcome to the Island

        We are your protectors. We serve to make sure you are alright, healthy, and safe. This is the camp, where you can safely rest. Please think of this as your home. It has different rooms, including a bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, and a few extra rooms you can use to your liking.

We will send you sets of food, clothing and other needs through a crate, you will receive on the second Saturday of each month. If you look at the map proudly hanging in your free room, you will see that Covanna beach is in the west. This is where the crates will be sent.

Remember that just because you're on an Island, it does not mean you are alone. There are animals all around you, that live freely. Feel free to eat them, or keep them around as friends. However, the animals you have here, are the only animals you will get. We will not send in any other animals if you have hunted them all.

We also have a wide variety of fruits and vegetables that grow around the Island. Of course, some might die from the weather, or from other natural causes. You are free to take as many as you want.

As for now, there is only two other building of all the Island. The small captive rooms each participant is held in. This year, there are two participants, a male, and a female. You are both very similar, in both background and in skill.

Remember we have only taken you away because of your safety. That also includes the different tests we have given the both of you to take. Each test ensures us whether or not you are able to survive when you need it. Each test is under surveillance, to make sure each one of you is okay. Only one has failed the test, and had been released into another one of our habitats to be kept.

There are more than twenty habitats we own that also are for this use, and there are participants as well.

You happen to be a very special pair, specializing in multiple categories you will develop from each test.

With our money our sponsors have given us, we were also able to purchase gifts for each of you. I hope you enjoy it. With that being said, have a nice stay.

-Mr. Hope